Royal Prick (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(76)

“Her mother said some pretty hurtful things about her. I got most of it on recording, but I wanted to let Noelle know before her mother contacted her about anything.”

Contacted me?

“Contacted me? I just called her a few hours ago. All she did was yell at me and tell me how worthless I was. How she only was with you for your money and tried to get you to believe that I was yours when I wasn’t.” Even bringing up the conversation in my mind was like hearing her say the words all over again.

Mark looked sad, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “I’ve got enough evidence that I can finally divorce her, so I won’t have you listen to the recording. Just know that I offered her a lump sum of cash to leave you and Royal alone. She let me know she was accepting it when I got off the plane.”

Olivia walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my small frame. I should have been more hurt than I was, or maybe I was just used to it by now. Used to the pain because it was a constant in my life.

“This is your home now,” Olivia and Royal both said at the same time. I hugged Olivia back, putting as much effort and love into that hug as I could.

“Thank you,” I announced, overcome with a million different emotions. I was angry and hurt, but I was also grateful and happy. My life was now mine to do with it as I wanted.

“How much did you offer her?” Royal asked. I didn’t really care to know. I didn’t want to know how much it cost Mark just so my mother would leave me alone.

All that mattered was that she was gone now, and I was free.

“Enough.” Mark eyed me.

“Well I’m glad things are done with and we can now focus on the future.” The excitement in Royal’s voice scared me. He scared me in general and the feelings I had for him scared me more. I was just starting to get used to everything I was feeling. The tingles down my spine when he entered a room. The way my body reacted to his mere touch.

It all started and ended with Royal. The lesson of our love story wasn’t just about the bad in our lives, but how the bad could bring good with it. Without the chaos that occurred in our lives for the last seventeen years we wouldn’t have found each other.

Royal and I sat on the couch, our hands intertwined as we watched Mark and Olivia wave their white flags.

For once in my life everything was okay.

Everything was perfect.

I found my home.





Epilogue


-Five Years Later


“Please for the love of f*cking God, Royal. If you don’t get your ass in this room right now I am going to cut your balls off.” I didn’t truthfully mean to sound like a bitch but when you had a baby coming out of your vag you tended to say things you didn’t necessarily mean.

“I’m coming, baby.” He tried effortlessly to soothe me, placing a cold washcloth against my face, getting me ice chips, all while attempting to rub my back; at least whenever I allowed him to touch me.

He was trying just about anything to bring me even the tiniest bit of comfort. I growled, gritting my teeth as another contraction threatened to take me under. Childbirth was the most painful thing in the world. I was so never doing this again.

“Alright, Noelle, it’s time to push,” my midwife ordered, staring at the exit in which the baby was about to come flying out of.

“I can’t,” I cried out, barring down as much as I could. Pain radiated all over my body, and it felt like I was continually being hit by a Mack truck. My muscles tensing and releasing all at the same time.

“You can do this, baby. He’s almost here. I can see his little head and all the hair.” Royal’s deep voice vibrated deep inside my body, rocking me to the core and giving me the everlasting strength I needed. We had been laboring for forty-eight hours. My body was on the verge of giving up, and I needed to do all I could to get this baby out instead of trying to fight the pain.

“It hurts!” I screamed, barring down yet again. I could feel my midwife moving her hands around down there.

“It will until you get this baby boy of yours out. Just a few more pushes, Noelle. He’s almost here, you can do it.” Sweat trickled down my face. I could feel my body being ripped in two as I took a deep breath pushing with all the strength I had left in my body. I gripped Royal’s hand tightly. Relief flooded me as the baby’s head crowned then slipped out. Next came his shoulders and then finally the rest of his perfect little body, my midwife barely catching him in time.

“He’s beautiful,” Royal said. The midwife wiped Lawson off and placed him on my chest. A feeling of euphoria filled my body. I just gave birth to my first child.

I couldn’t speak in fear that it would ruin the moment, so I cradled my small baby boy against my chest his, soft cries bringing tears to my own eyes.

“You did great, princess. God, I love you so f*cking much.” Tears welled up in Royal’s eyes as well, and as he pushed my sweaty hair from my face and planted a kiss against my cheek. I wondered how we got here. To the point of finally having kids and getting married. It was a journey I could only dream of.

“Olivia and Mark are going to be so happy.” I smiled down at little Lawson who was still getting use to the bright lights above us.

“Yes they sure will. Grandma and Grandpa already love you and they haven’t even seen you yet,” Royal spoke to Lawson, bending down into his face. That was the strange thing about love. It brought people back together.